Vetbed: Is Vetbed good?

[leyley904]

I don't really know what vetbed is, but from what I've read, it seems a lot like fleece... (?) I love fleece! Its so cute, and the animals seem to love it :]
P.S. I trust that you are taking great care of your gp's, inside or out. You seem to really love them.

[Peggysu]

They don't know any better so of course they are going to seem happy.

Keeping them outside is quite frankly neglect in my oppinion, especially if you know better.

I'm glad you aren't using saw dust anymore. That's one step in the right direction.

[ILHoneyandCustard]

I love my fleece.
I have tried vetbed but i just didnt find it as appealing. Fleece looks nicer and you get more patterns and styles.

As for the INDOORS vs OUTDOORS discussion i have some of my piggies inside and other outside. I have not noticed a difference in either of the herds if anything the ones outdoors get more attention from me.

The cavy rescue i adopt from advises indoor or OUTSIDE pateo housing for your piggie and i know for a fact the lady who runs it keeps almost all the guinea pigs outside or in sheds ect.

I feel extreamly insulted to be told that if an animal is outdoors i am neglecting it. A pet out doors in not neglect it is a matter of opinion and it is no FACT that outdoor living is neglect.
Neglect is impropper care and attention letting an animal starve or freeze or dehydrate.

[alicia09]

Thank you for the help with the fleece and vetbed. I know my guinea-pigs aren't neglected so it doesn't matter to me what you think about it.

[Jennicat]

All I can say is that having done rescue for several years now, I could never bear to keep an animal outside. We get so many animals that "were doing wonderfully" and "loved being outside in the yard with all the grass". And then the neighbor's dog got loose and almost killed them. And then it got really hot one day and their water bottle jammed and they almost died (or did die, and left behind a friend) of heat stroke. Or then they got flystrike. Or then one got really sick one night, but they were outside by themselves and nobody noticed until it was too late. And then, and then, and then.

Too many 'and then's for me.

[GizzyandMe]

Originally Posted by alicia09

Thank you for the help with the fleece, after asking a few breeders and pet owners I know I have decided to go with vetbed anyway. Thanks again

I am not sure about the UK type but here in SA it is treated with chemicals to assist in all the "wonderful things" the pads can do. However my friends dog got quite sick from eating her pad. I know she ate the whole pad and that any type of material that large could cause a problem for a dog but the Vet informed my friend that a lot of "Oortjies" new health problems where due to the pad she ate.

Ps, I am not condoning you having them outside but if you are going to continue with it then at least get them Fleece as it has non of the potential harmful chemicals in.

[DalesLass]

Originally Posted by KellNik

I've heard ...that fleece is better than Vetbed. It pushes the water down so the guinea pigs only feel dry fleece.

Are you sure that you haven't got this the wrong way around? Fleece is much thinner than proper Vetbed. Vetbed is designed for animal bedding - the cheap pretty pattern fleece is designed for clothing etc and really doesn’t have the absorbency and wear characteristics of Vetbed.

I cannot see why puppy pads or anything like that would be needed under Vetbed. If you have to buy puppy pads or something to go under the fleece it rather cancels out the benefit of the fleece being cheaper.

The only problem that I have had with Vetbed is that it is more effort to remove hay/dropping from it because of the thicker deeper ‘pile’ of the fabric. You just have to shake it a lot harder than you do with thin fleece or you risk clogging up the washing machine.

A friend of mine decided to use Vetbed in all her cages and bought a heavy duty top-loader industrial type washing machine so that the Vetbed pieces were washed separately from the household washing.

I only have a few pieces of Vetbed and use it in cases where a pig has any problem where other types of loose bedding would stick to a wound/wetness i.e. a sow having just littered or following surgery. This of course is what the stuff was originally marketed for, not routine bedding.

It was originally just sold in UK but I suppose it is available worldwide now - also there are many cheaper ‘look-alike’ copies.
This is the UK link http://www.petlifeonline.co.uk/UserD...20ORIGINAL.pdf

[Paula]

Originally Posted by DalesLass

Are you sure that you haven't got this the wrong way around? Fleece is much thinner than proper Vetbed. Vetbed is designed for animal bedding - the cheap pretty pattern fleece is designed for clothing etc and really doesn’t have the absorbency and wear characteristics of Vetbed.

Which is why you need something absorbant underneath the fleece, but done properly fleece will wick urine and work quite well. The "pretty patterns" are an added bonus, but I can see the benefits to using either.

Originally Posted by ILHoneyandCustard

The cavy rescue i adopt from advises indoor or OUTSIDE pateo housing for your piggie and i know for a fact the lady who runs it keeps almost all the guinea pigs outside or in sheds ect.

Seeing as how just about any sue or joe off the street can call themselves a 'rescue,' I hardly see how her word should be taken as gospel or her model and standard of cavy care should be followed to the letter.

Originally Posted by ILHoneyandCustard

I feel extreamly insulted to be told that if an animal is outdoors i am neglecting it. A pet out doors in not neglect it is a matter of opinion and it is no FACT that outdoor living is neglect.

You are not giving it the same standard of care that an animal would receive living indoors, and that aside, it doesn't change the fact that animals living outdoors are subject to a number of things (predators, weather, etc) that those living indoors are not subject to.

And whether or not you feel it's an "opinion" that guinea pigs should be living indoors, it is a fact that animals that live inside live longer, healthier lives than those that don't. It is a fact that those living indoors live in a safer, more stable environment - and that safety and stability is a luxury not extended to those banished to outdoor living.

[JD In Van]

Originally Posted by ILHoneyandCustard

I feel extreamly insulted to be told that if an animal is outdoors i am neglecting it. A pet out doors in not neglect it is a matter of opinion and it is no FACT that outdoor living is neglect.
Neglect is impropper care and attention letting an animal starve or freeze or dehydrate.

Actually there IS a great deal of research into the matter that shows that indoor pets live longer, healthier lives. This isn't limited to guinea pigs but also includes pets like cats and rabbits.

Even if you're loving and attentive there's just too many uncontrolled variables in an outdoor environment.

The American Humane Society even recommends keeping cats indoors and they're MUCH more able to defend and care for themselves then little cavies.

[ILHoneyandCustard]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ILHoneyandCustard
The cavy rescue i adopt from advises indoor or OUTSIDE pateo housing for your piggie and i know for a fact the lady who runs it keeps almost all the guinea pigs outside or in sheds ect.

Seeing as how just about any sue or joe off the street can call themselves a 'rescue,' I hardly see how her word should be taken as gospel or her model and standard of cavy care should be followed to the letter.

The rescue i go to is NOT run by an average joe and i dont think it fare you assume something like that.
The ACS is run by a lady with years and years of experiance and is Australia's only cavy rescue with many small scale shelters and one big shelter with 1000's of piggies comming in to them each year. I would take there word any day as gosple for proof i am not making anything up here is a link to the site.
SECTION 1 Title 1 Title 2 Title 3

Just because everybody does not think the same as you does not make them in the wrong..

[leyley904]

Not to get off topic, but unlike small animals, cats can live outside, it depends on the cat, one of my cats can't stand being inside unless shes hungry and no lizards are a available, and one of the others is scared of anything that has 'outside smell' on it. But, its not the same with gp's, in the fact that they can really show you wether they like it or not very obviously. But, I've never seen these pigs, so I wouldn't know about them.

[MissFormosa]

I used to use VetBed, but have since changed to fleece.
The VetBed works great, but is more expensive and bulky to wash.
If you have boars, the VetBed will begin to smell like boar stink quicker than the fleece.

[alicia09]

Ok thank you for the help. I'm going to go to a different forum now because I think it's horrible how you treat some people with different opinions to you.

[YayPiggies]

I agree with KellNik. Outside isn't as good as inside but I suppose you've heard that already.

I'm just to follow your orders and help you with your question and nothing else.

I have never heard of VetBed, but it is better than sawdust. It's a good thing you're switching, I think a softer surface will do your piggies' feet and lungs good. Good luck with your pigs!

[Peggysu]

Originally Posted by alicia09

Ok thank you for the help. I'm going to go to a different forum now because I think it's horrible how you treat some people with different opinions to you.

This forum does not advocate the housing of guinea pigs outside. It's not acceptable.

[alicia09]

The majority of you here seem rude and not open-minded, so it does not bother me in any way that you'd like me to leave. I'd actually be more than happy to leave, I know people who do not insult me or accuse me of neglect and they are much more open minded than you. Thank you to the one or two people on here that did help me and didn't critisize.

[Peggysu]

Originally Posted by alicia09

The majority of you here seem rude and not open-minded, so it does not bother me in any way that you'd like me to leave. I'd actually be more than happy to leave, I know people who do not insult me or accuse me of neglect and they are much more open minded than you. Thank you to the one or two people on here that did help me and didn't critisize.

When you know that housing inside is much better for guinea pigs but continue to house them outside it is a form of neglect. Yes neglect can be a harsh word, but when it comes down to it that's what it is. I wish you and your piggies much luck.

This site is one of the best sites on proper care for guinea pigs, don't expect me to pat you on the back for doing something that I feel is not appropriate.

[alicia09]

Yes you feel it is inappropriate, and I know many other people here do. But I also know many people who have guinea-pigs living outside and agree with it, and I agree with them living outside. It is not neglect as my guinea-pigs get all the food, water, vegetables, hay and clean housing they need and they are well cared for. I am very annoyed that you are accusing me of neglect when you haven't seen my guinea-pigs?

[Paula]

Originally Posted by leyley904

Not to get off topic, but unlike small animals, cats can live outside, it depends on the cat, one of my cats can't stand being inside unless shes hungry and no lizards are a available, and one of the others is scared of anything that has 'outside smell' on it.

That they CAN live outside is no indication of whether or not they SHOULD. I don't disagree that a cat is probably happier in some ways living outdoors than living inside, but that's not to say that a cat is healthier and it's certainly not to say that a cat can't be happy living inside. You say your cat is happy living outside because that's all he's ever known. It doesn't depend on the cat as much as it depends on what the cat's known his entire life. I have a cat that's 7 and from the day I brought him home he's been an indoor cat - and that's a decision I made for his safety and well being, because it's a proven fact that cats living indoors live longer, far more healthy lives than cats that live outside. I can tell you, he is MUCH happier living indoors than out and actually can't stand being outside. So to say it depends on the cat is incorrect, because it really depends on the decisions the owner has made for the cat.

Originally Posted by alicia09

Ok thank you for the help. I'm going to go to a different forum now because I think it's horrible how you treat some people with different opinions to you.

First of all, no one has treated you badly, and it's not a matter of differing opinions. It's a matter of doing what's healthiest and best for an animal you are responsible for caring for. I find it rather unfortunate that you would rather go to a forum that will just politely agree with you instead of trying to make your pigs' lives better.

[alicia09]

I am going to another forum because they give me the advice I ask for, rather than changing the subject by insulting me.
I know you say it depends on the cat prefering inside or outside, but my cat used to live inside and he kept looking out the window and sitting by the big garden doors that have windows on them and so we let him out and he loved it, so I think it can go both ways, I personally think it does depend on the cat. I think it is better for a cat to go between indoors and outdoors, my cat stays inside with us whilst we are home, and if he wants to he can go outside using the cat flap at anytime, I know that while I'm at school he spends most of the time running round the garden and chasing butterflies, so I think it does depend on the cat.

I know you said it's all my guinea-pigs have ever known, but some of them (I know not all of them) have been inside for a few nights before and mine don't seem to do as much. You might say this is because they haven't known any different but they just didn't seem to be enjoying themselves inside, it might have been because it was new or different, but I think it was a bit scary for them because people were moving about, and a sudden noise they went running back into their hutch, which is why I'd like them to stay where they are for the time being. They are happy, and if ever I notice they do not seem happy they would move inside.